Tag: climate solutions

Arctic sea-ice monitoring: from the Vikings to satellite observations

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: The first Arctic sea-ice observations were documented by the Vikings, and later followed by the first polar explorers and sailors. Today, the IceBird programme is part of an international monitoring series, documenting the Arctic ice cover as it undergoes rapid changes due to climate warming.

Forests absorb less CO2 than before

Why do forests absorb less carbon dioxide than 15 years ago?

How often will European cities experience temperatures above 30°C in the future?

If temperatures rise by three degrees, cities in southern Europe will have dozens more days each year with temperatures above 30 degrees, according to a new study.

The sea squirt was supposed to be animal feed, but it smelled too good

Biologist argues that this is the world's most climate-friendly meat.

What is happening to the Arctic sea ice in winter?

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: The loss of summer Arctic sea ice has become the «canary in the coalmine» of climate change. Sea ice is also declining during the dark, cold winter, but more ice was observed this winter than in the previous 10 years. A new PhD thesis helps to understand why.

Do we care that red meat is bad for the climate, or do we just eat what we want?

Norwegians are not going to cut their meat consumption enough even if they believe the climate impact is important, says a researcher behind a new Norwegian study.

The Earth traps more heat than before. This is partly due to cleaner air

There is a growing imbalance in how much energy the Earth receives and emits back.

Is this the bear of the future?

Climate changes are forcing polar bears and brown bears together.

Why is there so much methane in the atmosphere right now?

The greenhouse gas methane is 28 times more powerful than CO2, and its presence is increasing in the atmosphere.

When ice becomes as thick as this, it could linger for months

The roads and sidewalks in Norway are covered with an extremely thick layer of ice. Why does this layer form, and what does it take for it to melt?

Is Norway a climate laggard compared to Sweden and Denmark?

Norway has only managed to cut about five per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions since 1990. Its neighbouring countries have cut more. Why is that?

The oldest known ice in the world can be found here

The world's oldest known ice can be found here

It is several million years old.

Norway strongly criticised in Nature editorial for approving seabed mining

The prestigious international journal claims that Norway is undermining the work of the Ocean Panel.

Over a million seeds are stored behind locked doors on Svalbard

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is the largest in the world.

Snow chaos in Norway: Climate scientist expects more such incidents in the future

There are increasingly more episodes of intense precipitation in Norway. The chaos of snow that hit the capital Oslo this week is just a taste of what Norwegians have in store, according to a climate researcher.

Svalbard in 2023: Record hot, record cold, record wet, and record dry

The rain, heat, and cold in Svalbard in 2023 are making their mark in the record books.

Massive snowfall and unusually freezing temperatures in Norway – why is this happening now?

Norway is experiencing extreme weather. A temperature of minus 43.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Kautokeino. In other places in Norway, schools are closed due to large amounts of snow.

What you need to know about the climate summit in Dubai

The negotiations over the next few weeks will determine how we are going to handle climate change going forward.

World Soil Day emphasizes the increasing need to integrate soil and water research and management

OPINION: Extreme dry and wet events has caused many challenges to both food production and water protection. This calls for the increase of integrated soil and water research to address the national and global challenges in food security and environmental sustainability.

Who should collect, manage and have access to data from the oceans?

OPINION: Research institutions from Norway and other countries have collected a great amount of data from the northern oceans in recent years. Many people want access to this information.

The ice in Antarctica has not yet reached a tipping point

But there are big differences between different parts of Antarctica.

How much heat can the Greenland ice sheet really handle?

Even if the tipping point is passed, the ice can still grow back. But that does not necessarily help much in practice, a researcher points out.

A new bird has been found on Bear Island

Modern DNA technology allows biologists to now peer into the genes of historical specimens that are over a century old at the Natural History Museum in Oslo and other museums. Through this method, the researchers made an unusual discovery in their lab.

Heading into a climate that humanity has never experienced before

Temperatures are still exceptionally high in the world's oceans after several months with record heat levels globally.

Glacial archaeologist on melting ice in the mountains: "It’s absolutely extreme"

The dramatic backdrop to spectacular archaeological finds in the Norwegian mountains is that the ice is melting, rapidly. This year's glacial archaeological season in the mountains is now underway.

Much of the ski tourism in Europe could disappear

For the first time, climate researchers have calculated the effect of climate change on snow in all of Europe's major ski slopes.

What do mussels do when subjected to warmer water?

Shelby Clarke picks up a cluster of mussels from a tank. She is measuring mussel death rates, she explains. Scientists are investigating how mussels will react to future heat waves.

What can we learn from a Swedish fashion brand to innovate for a sustainable future?

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: How can we ensure that innovation leads us to a better future and not a dystopian one?

Heatwaves in the ocean alarm climate researchers

Strong temperature spikes in the ocean and massive loss of sea ice in Antarctica concern scientists. Will the climate change faster than anticipated?

Will we be able to pick blueberries in the lowlands in the future?

Blueberries are being monitored year by year. Researchers in several countries are observing how a warmer climate affects the berries.

It's remarkably cheap to capture CO2 in large construction projects

A new study shows that the construction of a large bridge only needs to be one per cent more expensive to ensure half of the greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.

June was the fourth warmest June month recorded in Norway since 1900

June was the fourth warmest June month recorded in Norway in a measurement series dating back to 1900.

Here's how you can make air travel a little better for the climate

Is it not an option to cut out air travel this year? Then there are a few things you can do to reduce emissions, according to a researcher.

Can't we just stop travelling by air for business?

We’re encouraged to fly less. But what if your company keeps sending you on trips?

Why overconsumption must be understood as a societal challenge

OPINION: Norwegians are world champions in consumption, but most of us feel our levels of consumption are completely normal. This is one of the reasons why sustainability transformations cannot be left to the consumers alone.

The war in Ukraine has undermined environmental and climate research in the Arctic

The sanctions against Russia are putting the brakes on Arctic research. The lack of cooperation with the Russians means that a lot of information is being lost, says the Norwegian Polar Institute.

How often do you need to use your clothes to be «sustainable»?

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: The functional unit for a winter coat is 100 days of use. But what does it mean?

Nuclear power is a friend of nature and the environment

OPINION: Based on our recent study of 870 power plants worldwide, nuclear energy is a clear winner in protecting ecosystems, while bioenergy is an indisputable loser.

Arctic sea ice retreat is well observed by satellites and new technology. So why do we still need scientists working on the ice?

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Sea ice is an essential part of Earth’s climate and ocean systems, and in the Arctic the ice decreases year by year.

These small bacteria eat huge amounts of methane. How will they respond to climate change?

When the bacteria are thriving, they eat less.

The last Ice Age excavated bedrock equivalent to 500 times Mount Everest

Researchers have calculated how much volume the last Ice Age eroded in Norway and northern Europe.

World's oldest DNA: Scientists discover 2-million-year-old remains of plants and animals

Genetic material from the elephant relative mastodon, cedar and spruce has now been discovered in a warmer Greenland of yore. It is the oldest DNA ever found.

For a long time people thought fossils were animals and dragons drowned in Noah’s flood. Then scientists discovered the Ice Age

In a new book, Reidar Müller describes the history of the climate and the people who pieced it together.

Will the geologists of the future see that something dramatic happened on Earth starting in 1950?

Scientists are considering whether we are entering a new epoch in the Earth's history: the Anthropocene — the age of humans.

Is there any hope of reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change?

OPINION: Believing that we can achieve the Paris Agreement is not naïve, idealistic, or utopian, according to professor Karen O'Brien.

What’s happening with the ‘doomsday glacier’ in Antarctica?

The Thwaites Glacier is a wild card when it comes to sea level rise, researchers say. A new study describes the glacier’s movements in the past.

These were the first plants to appear in northern Norway after the last ice age

A large DNA study tells us how nature reacted when the climate changed. The knowledge gained will be used to create better models of what could happen in the future.

Very few actually have climate anxiety

The term is often used by journalists and researchers. But a new study suggests that climate anxiety is not very widespread.

Gas leaks in the Baltic Sea: An observatory in southern Norway has recorded an extreme increase in the amount of methane in the air

“We have never seen anything like it,” says researcher from the Norwegian Institute for Air Research.

Record-hot summer in Svalbard

This year's summer in Svalbard is the hottest ever recorded. The previous record from 2020 only lasted two years.

The Arctic is heating up much faster than expected

Temperatures in the Arctic have risen almost four times faster than on the rest of the planet, according to a new study. Svalbard is warming up even faster.

Climate expert: Norwegians do not understand how dangerous these heat waves are

The heat waves that have occurred in recent summers create extremely dangerous conditions that are difficult for Norwegians to understand, according to climate researcher Tore Furevik.

EU-study: One in four Norwegians do not believe that climate change is caused by humans

While eight in ten Italians believe that climate change is caused by humans, only six in ten Norwegians believe the same, according to a new study.

Climate change: One year of warm currents fundamentally changed Spitsbergen’s sea ice coverage

OPINION: When meteorologists report fine weather on Svalbard, it's the air temperature they talk about. But when it comes to global warming, ocean temperature is the big joker.

Researchers and the media need to stop crying ‘wolf’ about the Gulf Stream

There are many, many things we should worry about when it comes to global warming. But worrying that the Gulf Stream will stop is not one of them, says one Norwegian oceanographer.

This is how climate change is impacting our nature right now

“This is a very strong signal to take better care of nature,” says one researcher.

Ancient remains from reindeer hunting and a forgotten trail in the Norwegian mountains found by glacial archaeologists

Melting ice has laid bare arrowheads, traces from reindeer hunting and a mountain trail in one of the many sites that the Secrets of the Ice-team continuously monitor for finds.

These rodents may be the reason Norway has one of the world's most radioactive glaciers

Traces of radioactivity from Chernobyl and nuclear explosions from the Soviet era coat the surface of the glacier. Researchers are surprised by the high radioactive levels they’ve found.

Norwegian glaciers are shrinking all over the country

A new mapping of the country’s glaciers finds that they have shrunk by 14 per cent.

Have Russian climate scientists convinced Vladimir Putin that climate change is real?

The Russian president recently stated that the country will become carbon neutral by the year 2060, but there’s a big gap between words and deeds in Russian climate policy, researchers say.

Deadly heat and extreme rainfall: This is what the world will be like if the temperature rises by 3 degrees, according to researchers

“It is very likely that we will reach three degrees. I consider 1.5 and 2 degrees to be almost unattainable. Now the question is how close to three we will get,” says one Norwegian researcher.

A strong breeze and chance of storms: How we used pollen to create a wind forecast from 10,000 years ago

SHARE YOUR SCIENCE: Pollen can travel far through the air, allowing scientists who find them to trace the winds of the past. Maaike Zwier writes about her new study from South Georgia, where ancient pollen may reveal shifts in the dominating westerlies.

Making useful products from greenhouse gases

A new plant will use CO2 to both replace oil and be transformed into useful chemicals.

What’s best for the climate, buying a new electric car or driving your old petrol car into the ground?

The answer depends on how the emissions are calculated, it turns out. And here the experts disagree.

Could Isaac Newton show us the way into the Green Shift?

Climate change, loss of biodiversity, and degraded ecosystems: we're in trouble and something needs to be done. We need to change, and we know what to do. But we probably need some help on how to proceed. Maybe we can be inspired by Isaac Newton’s three laws?